Carlos: There were quite a lot of people there, and everyone was really fashionable...

Carlos: Yeah... everyone was wearing black! I felt really scruffy...

Johnny: Scruffy?

Fadi: Yeah, scruffy – badly dressed.

Johnny: So what was the art like?

Carlos: Art? I didn’t think it was art! There were some TVs showing some pictures of a man walking around an empty room...

Fadi: Great...

Carlos: Then there were some big photographs on the walls...

Johnny: OK – I like photography.

Carlos: Yeah, me too – but there were all blurred, out of focus – you couldn’t see what they were photographs of! So, I was trying to be interested, you know, to impress Sarah really.

Fadi: Of course.

Johnny: What was Sarah doing?

Carlos: Well, Sarah was talking to another man, so I went up to them. Sarah introduces me, and then he says ‘What do you think?’ and I said, ‘Well, I think the photographs are all out of focus’.

Fadi: Fair enough...

Carlos: But then the man, he gets really angry, and walks off!

Johnny: Oh...

Carlos: And Sarah looks really embarrassed.

Fadi: Why?

Carlos: It turns out, well, this man, he was the artist.

Fadi/Johnny: Oh no!

Carlos: And they weren’t even photographs... they were paintings, supposed to look like photographs. Sarah explained it all to me, but I didn’t understand anything... I felt so stupid... and Sarah was so embarrassed...

Fadi: Are you going to see her again?

Carlos: Well, I don’t know... I’d like to... I hope so...

Johnny: Ask her out again – but this time, take her somewhere you want to go.

Fadi: Good idea.

Carlos: Where?

Johnny: Take her to a football match – I’ve got tickets for this weekend. You can have them.

Carlos: But I don’t like football.

Fadi: Go on! It’s a great British experience.

Johnny: Yeah...Look, I know Sarah – she’ll love it!

Carlos: Er... Well, OK then. I’ll ask her.

Fadi: Oh no... Look who it is!

Johnny: Hey Joe! Where’s Olivia?

Bindyu: Joe! He’s so funny... Such a sweet little boy!

Olivia: Joe! Stop that! Sorry everyone.

Bindyu: Don’t worry Olivia – I’ll look after him. He’s so much fun!

Johnny: Did Harry fix your website?

Olivia: He did.

Harry: Of course I did! I’m an expert!

Olivia: Thanks Harry. I owe you a coffee, at least.

Harry: No problem – I’m just glad you’ve made up with Bindyu.

Fadi: Oh yeah? So you’re all friends now?

Harry: Oh yes.

Olivia: She came last night, and looked after my little nephew Joe. They get on together really well!

This is an example of a tag question. Usually, the tag question is the opposite to the verb form in the main clause: if the verb is negative, the tag question has an affirmative form; if the verb is affirmative, the tag question has a negative form. For example, we would say:

Hello every body
I would like to thank you, dear all in the Learn English Team for this good materials and series for learning English. I've got a question about this episode, when Carlos answers this Johnny question: 'what was Sarah doing?' why he uses present tense: "Sarah introduces me, and then he says...", while he is talking about past?